Receptacle for cigarette butts



y 25, 4 G. M. TROXELL, JR

RECEPTACLE FOR CIGARETTE BUTTS Filed May 18, 1953 INVENTOR. Geo. M Tr0xe//, Jr. c? ,LQ-W Ail 'y Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECEPTACLE FOR CIGARETTE BUTTS George M. Troxell, Jr., Napa, Calif. Application May 18, 1953, Serial No. 355,435

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ash trays and has particular reference to a receptacle for the reception of cigarette butts in a motor vehicle.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means for receiving and extinguishing cigarette butts and later disposing of them to a point outside of the vehicle.

A further object is to produce a. device which may be readily attached to a motor vehicle and to the water of the cooling system thereof.

A further object is to produce a device which will comply with all of the laws relative to the extinguishing of cigarette butts and disposing of them at points outside of the vehicle.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numbers are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of my receptacle, showing the parts in closed position; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in extended position.

It is a well known fact that many states have laws which require a person to dispose of cigarette butts in receptacles within a car, and heavy fines are imposed if lighted cigarettes or cigars are thrown from the vehicle.

Nevertheless, many persons cause serious fires through discarding lighted material from a vehicle, which is often done for the reason that people object to the continued burning of the butt after it is disposed of in a receptacle, such as an ash receiver. The fumes of a burning butt are very obnoxious.

It is to eliminate this difiiculty that I have devised my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a substantially rectangular casing having a downwardly extending pipe 6, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

gSlidable in this casing is a drawer l which may be moved inwardly and outwardly through the medium of a handle 8.

This drawer has a downwardly extending chute H] which terminates at a point A, the purpose of which will be later seen.

Secured to the back of the drawer is a tubular extension 9 which has a telescoping fit within a 2 tubular extension H formed on the back of the casing 5.

At I2 I have shown a pipe which communicates with the space formed within the tubular extensions 9 and II and this pipe is in turn con nected to any source of water supply in the vehicle, such as the radiator or the windshield wiper flushing tank.

A flap valve I3 serves to close the end of the pipe I2 under certain conditions. A small port M is formed in the back wall of the drawer and communicates with the interior of the tubular extension 9. At It I have shown a stop pin slidable in a slot ll formed in the bottom of the drawer so that the movement of the drawer is limited.

The result of this construction is that when the drawer is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and it is desired to use the drawer as a deposit for cigarette ashes or butts, the handle 8 is grasped and pulled toward the right of the drawing. This act causes the drawer and its tubular extension to perform two functions, first to provide an opening B through which the cigarette ashes and butts may be placed, and second, to cause a vacuum within tubular members 9 and H, with the result that the valve l3 will open and water will flow from the pipe l2 and its source, into the telescopic extension.

It is here understood that the port 14 is of such small size that the quick movement in pulling the drawer out does not give sufficient time for any appreciable amount of air to pass through the port I4 and spoil the suction in the chamber formed by the telescopic members. At

the same time the pipe 12 is of considerable size and therefore the flow of liquid is quite rapid.

The fluid now confined in the telescopic members will not leak through the port l4 due to its small size and the capillary adhesion.

When the drawer is pulled out as shown in Fig. 2, ashes and cigarettes may be dropped on to the chute H3, and they will in turn drop down to the lower rear portion of the drawer resting on the portion C of the bottom of the casing. When the drawer is closed the following will take place:

On the initial rearward movement of the drawer, the telescoping members will compress the liquid, causing a spray to extend from the port M as shown in Fig. 1. This will tend to wash any debris on the chute l0 downwardly and rearwardly toward the bottom of the drawer, and the edge A of the chute, in moving rearwardly, will scrape and dump it into the discharge pipe 8, from which point it will be directed downwardly through the floor boards of the car to the ound.

It will therefore be apparent that each time the drawer is closed, the user will be assured that cigarette butts therein will be doused with water and that the extinguished cigarettes will be disposed of outside of the car.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be re sorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjqined claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a casing, a drawer slidable in said casing, said drawer having an opening formed in its bottom portion, a discharge pipe secured to said casing and adapted to be in alignment with the opening in said drawer when said drawer is in closed position, and spray means actuated by the opening and closing of said drawer for extinguishing cigarette butts positioned therein.

2. In a device of the character described, a casing, a sliding drawer positioned in said casing, a pipe extending from the lower portion of said casing, said drawer having an opening formed in the bottom thereof adapted to engage the open end of said pipe when said drawer is in closed position, a chute formed in said drawer and having its lower end adjacent said opening in said drawer, and telescopic means secured to said drawer and said casing for creating fluid pressure, and said drawer having an opening adapted to deliver such fluid in the form of a spray on to said chute when said drawer is moved to closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,448,813 Needham Mar. 20, 1923 1,597,374 Guy Aug. 24, 1926 1,966,7 4 Uitto July 17, 1934 2,460,554 Vogel Feb. 1, 1949 

